When you open the large wooden doors of the Museum of Native American History (MONAH) in Bentonville, you receive an almost startling greeting from a recorded mammoth roar (even if an A-frame sign warns you) and “Tusker,” the large skeleton remains of a woolly mammoth from the Paleo Period.
Amongst the more than 10,000 Native American artifacts the museum houses, and towards the very back room, are eight beautifully woven Navajo rugs that tell the story of a healing tradition passed on through generations.
These intricate rugs were graciously donated in 2022 by Howard Cockrill, a retired radiologist from Little Rock, and make up “The Way of Beauty: Diné Woven Tapestry Stories” exhibit. The rugs showcase Navajo artwork spanning over a century, with works ranging from the late 1800s to the early 2000s.
